With the conference underway, Matt Fargo takes a look at three big games you can’t miss this Saturday.
UCLA Bruins at Washington Huskies 4:00 pm ET
A 4-1 Pac Ten team faces a 2-2 team, but those roles are reversed than most people would have thought. The Bruins have gotten off to a strong start in the conference despite injury woes since practice began. This team has as many as four key players on the disabled list, but they’re not letting that get in the way. After an 11-0 start, Washington has lost two of its last four and it could be more when it finally hits the road.
Washington played 12 of its first 14 games at home, while the other two games were on a neutral floor. Home losses to Arizona in overtime and to rival Washington St. have dealt a bit of a blow to the Huskies, even though the conference season is just getting started. They are coming off a huge road win at USC, their first true road game of the season, so this will be the first experience of a back-to-back road game.
UCLA has won three in a row after suffering a shock loss at home to California late last month. The only other loss on the season came to Memphis in the preseason NIT semifinals. UCLA is in sole possession of the conference lead and a win here could give them a potential two-game lead. The Bruins have played the 55th ranked schedule in the nation, so they’ve already been tested against some of the best.
Both offenses are shooting more than 49 percent on the season despite Washington averaging more than 20 additional points per game. That’s due to a fast-paced offense, where the defense allows more points, and also a schedule that ranks 305th in the country. The home team has won the last four games while the Bruins have won seven of the last nine games and are poised to continue that streak.
Xavier Musketeers at Charlotte 49ers 7:00 PM ET
First place is on the line in the Atlantic Ten as two of the four remaining undefeated teams in conference action take the floor in Charlotte. Both teams come in red hot, with five-game winning streaks and offenses that have been on fire. Xavier is averaging 78.8 ppg while Charlotte is averaging 80.4 ppg during those streaks, so the advancing defense is likely to get the win.
The Musketeers have lost just twice all season and those two losses came by a combined five points to Creighton and Illinois. Four of their last five victories have been by 17 or more points, while nine of their 10 wins this year have been by double figures. Xavier is third in the country in shooting range at +12.2 percent, trailing only Florida and Texas for the top spot.
Charlotte got off to a rocky start this year with a 1-3 record, but things are turning around for the 49ers. In addition to their five straight wins, they have taken nine of their last 11 games, including five in a row on the road. The home floor has been the problem though, as Charlotte is just 4-3 at Halton Arena. That includes losses to Mississippi St. and Valparaiso, but the tables have turned with two straight home wins.
This is the 49ers’ first season in the Atlantic Ten and things are off to a great start, but the Musketeers have a chip on their shoulder. Xavier leads the conference in seven major categories, but playing a schedule ranked 197th in the nation has definitely helped those numbers. The 10-2 start is Xavier’s best since he began the 2000-01 season with an 11-2 mark.
Syracuse Orangemen at Cincinnati Bearcats 8:00 p.m. ET
Two great programs meet for the first time as Syracuse heads to Cincinnati for its second straight road game. The Oranges can keep up with West Virginia and Pittsburgh to lead the Big East, while the Bearcats could use the win to avoid falling from fourth to possibly 12th in the conference. Six Big East teams are ranked in the latest AP poll, but Syracuse, one of three unbeaten conference teams, isn’t one of them.
Syracuse traveled outside of New York for the second time this season and picked up a win over Notre Dame on Wednesday. It was the Orange’s 11th straight win and a win over the Bearcats will undoubtedly catapult them back into the standings. The offense has been unpredictable during the streak, scoring 80 or more points six times, but also scoring less than 70 points three times.
The Bearcats snapped a 10-game winning streak against the Huskies when the offense failed to reach 70 points for the first time in 11 games. Cincinnati is 8-2 at home on the season, but has won five straight games at Fifth Third Arena since losing to third-ranked Memphis. Guard Armein Kirkland is out for the season for the Bearcats as he suffered a torn ACL against Connecticut in their last game.
Both offenses are very potent attacks, averaging a combined 157.2 points per game on the season. For Syracuse, it’s not too impressive to see that it has played a schedule ranked 242nd in the country. The Bearcats have faced a slate ranked 20th in the nation for their 80.6 points per game that looks better between the two. Both defenses allow less than 40 percent shooting from the ground, while Cincinnati has a +12.4 percent advantage at the free throw line.
